Organizing the Business Cards - Core77

While some of us keep all our contact information in digital forms, many people still prefer to keep paper, including business cards. But for business cards to be useful, they need to be kept where they can be found, in some sort of order.

The business card file cabinet from Princess International is a clever idea for those who don't need a mobile solution, and it holds a lot of cards. However, it has the same problem some full-size file cabinets do: Those aren't full-extension drawers, so it's hard to reach any cards in the back.

The business card holder from Lipper International has three dividers to help keep the cards upright when the box isn't full—but they can be removed to save space as the box fills. The box is also expandable, so it can accommodate a growing collection while not taking up more desktop space than needed. However, making the box expandable results in two widths, and some purchasers have noted that the index dividers don't quite fit in the narrower sections.

The open top will appeal to those who work best when things are visible and readily accessible, but not those who need to protect the cards from dust or other pollutants. And without a lid, the cards will go flying if the box is accidentally tipped over.

The business card box from Semikolon has a lid—but there's no way to remove the lid entirely, which end users would sometimes like to do. The three internal dividers help keep the cards upright. This box uses individual-letter index dividers, which means the dividers take up more room in the box than if each divider covered a range such as A-C and D-F; however, that's a trade-off many end users are happy to make in order to find cards quicker.

The business card boxes from Organizing For You use a "spring slide assembly" to keep the cards upright. The handle on the double-row box makes it easy to haul this one around if need be. It's designed partly for organizations which collect and share business cards from the members.

The business card box from Helit has a roller-style lid which allows the cards to be covered or not. Since this is a smaller box than some others, it makes sense to have multiple-letter dividers. But the low-contrast design on those dividers might be hard for those with poor eyesight.

The Helit Foster Series, designed by Foster + Partners and

made by Helit, includes a number of desktop items; a business card box is one of them. The box is made of high-quality extruded aluminum and it has a fully removable black plastic lid which can be attached to the base of the box. The dividers here are easy to read.

It's not clear how the dividers are situated in the box; if they are fixed in place this would be limiting, since not all sections would necessarily have the same number of cards. A nice feature is that the dividers seem to tilt forward and back, making it easier to see all the cards as the box gets filled.

This basic business card file sold by The Container Store has one distinct advantage: It doesn't assume the groupings should be alphabetic. I've used this box with clients, and we've created sections based on function: business contacts, friends, medical professionals, etc.

Another desktop alternative is the good old Rolodex rotary file, which is now available with pockets you can insert the cards into. There are both covered and open designs. Each section can include exactly as many cards as needed. It's a design that has endured because it works well for many end users. However, purchasers have noted that sometimes the cards slip out of the pockets.

Those who want to carry their business cards with them will want a business card book or binder. Bound business card books can be frustrating to used because it's hard to keep the cards organized as more get added. But business card binders, which often include index dividers and which allow pages to be added to sections as needed, can solve that problem. (They also allow pages to get replaced if they get torn or soiled.)

Having seen people put rubber bands around business card books to keep them closed, I appreciate that the EasyPAG organizer comes with an elastic cord.

The Contact Keeper is a unique product, designed so end users can keep business cards together with relevant notes about the person and/or business. It's going to take a lot more space than other business card organizers, but anyone who gets frustrated trying to fit a bunch of notes on the back of a business card might appreciate this design.

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